Maritime Attorney Brian Beckcom Speaks Out After Pirate Attack on Maersk Alabama

How many times will the Maersk Alabama be attacked by pirates before its owners take their workers’ safety seriously? That is a question some are asking after the Maersk Alabama was attacked for a second time in seven months, again putting the freighter’s crew at risk of serious injury or death.

The Maersk was first attacked by pirates last April, when the freighter’s captain was taken hostage and later rescued by U.S. Navy SEAL sharpshooters. The daring rescue was televised across the world, guaranteeing notoriety for the Maersk Alabama and likely making the freighter an even more attractive target for pirates seeking revenge.

According to maritime lawyer Brian Beckcom, the attorney representing six of the crew members who were on the Maersk Alabama during the original attack, “Maersk made a conscious decision, despite going into pirate-infested waters, not to provide any meaningful security for its workers. Instead they'd just rely on the taxpayers and U.S. military to bail them out after the fact."

The freighter was attacked again this November when four pirates in a skiff fired on the Maersk with automatic weapons. Unlike the first attack this time private security guards aboard the freighter repelled the pirates with guns and a high-decibel noise device.

There are questions about what the freighter was doing back in waters teeming with pirates after surviving such a high-profile attack last April. Former crew members of the Maersk stated in separate interviews that they feared being attacked by pirates again.

One crew member claims that the owners of the ship refused to rename, repaint or reroute the vessel after the original attack. Another crew member remembers the owners stated that the necessary paperwork to make such changes would be too onerous.

The lawsuit filed by the crew involved in the original attack has been filed in Houston, Texas against Maersk Line Limited and Waterman Steamship Corporation. According to Mr. Beckcom, Houston was chosen because it is home to the nation’s second largest port and its judges have an in-depth understanding of maritime law. Compensation is being sought by the crew for physical and psychological damage and for loss of income.

If you need help after a maritime accident or Jones Act case, please contact the experienced maritime law and Jones Act attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C.

Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C

1001 Texas Avenue, Suite 1020

Houston, TX 77002

Phone: 713.224.7800

Fax: 713.224.7801